Elisa's Journey - Close Race to the Scoring Gate

A lull in the cold finds me writing my diary on deck today. I have taken off my winter gloves in hopes my fingers will stay warm. There have been no waves covering the deck since the start of watch, so I hope I’m in the clear. It’s a beautiful December day on the Southern Ocean, with even a touch of blue in the sky.

Day One of the Advent Calendar will be spent drag racing towards the scoring gate. Four Clippers are in close contention as we calculate our optimum times based on speed, course, and distance. Seventy miles to go. The extra points would really make a difference in our overall position, and placing for Leg 3.

After a week of upwind sailing, living life on a steep angle, the wind finally came aft yesterday. This allowed us to sail downwind and hoist the spinnaker, creating a more comfortable and civilized life below decks. It was the first time this week I wore less than 3 layers while in my bunk or just sitting in the saloon. Not to mention the downwind conditions boosted our speeds considerably – which is the primary objective.

It paid off to see Cape Breton Island back in second place on the last schedule. Only miles apart from our other contenders, and seven miles from Spirit of Australia in first, we push onward to keep up the boat speed.

Energy levels of the crew are much higher since our downwind transition. Personally, I had my first deep sleeps, since leaving Cape Town, in the past 24 hours. Even two hours of quality sleep makes a big difference.

We flew the medium weight spinnaker for most of the day yesterday, helping us surf back up to second place. At dusk, the winds were increasing, so we decided to drop the spinnaker and pole out the Yankee two overnight. Not only does it provide a fast, stable sail plan, it is able to withstand higher wind strengths than the spinnaker. The other benefit was a great course towards the scoring gate.

It was a good decision. We had steady gusts over 35 knots, with a maximum reported gust of 48 knots! The surfing conditions we expected of the Southern Ocean held steady all night. The fastest boat speed down a wave was 21.8 knots!

We anxiously await the next report to see how the other Clippers fared out – the race is on!

……………..

As I continue to sit on deck, I am grateful my hands have remained warm long enough to continue writing this diary. I have not been drenched by a wave. And to top it off, there is blue sky and sun for the first time I can remember.

It is the small things like this that turn a day around. These seemingly unimportant details provide an enjoyment that seems out of proportion. How often do you get drenched by a wave in everyday life? I don’t remember walking down the streets of Sydney being thankful I was warm and dry. These small, positive details, like a couple hours of sun, make it easier to endure the contrasting harsh, cold conditions.

While we focus on racing in our small, yet vast, ocean world, reminders of my land life arrive on board via e-mail. I am amused to hear that more than one known individual has risen from their sleep in the middle of the night just to check on Cape Breton Island’s position.

Support at that level means a lot. It drives me to get out of my own warm bunk at 1:30am when I am craving more sleep and dreading the cold. To know there are people at home pulling for us to win this race has an immeasurable impact on crew morale. Thank you!

………………………….

Minute by minute the excitement builds. As I am writing, the new schedule has just come through. CAPE BRETON ISLAND IS BACK IN FIRST PLACE!!!

Scoring gate, here we come!     

Elisa's Journey - Racing Into the Roaring Forties

The Cape Breton Clipper is officially into the Roaring Forties – the notorious part of the Southern Ocean known for massive swells and strong winds. We’ve been holding our own in first place of the fleet, with only miles between us and the second/third place boats.

It’s a drag race to Geraldton, Western Australia. Our top competitors are the home team, Spirit of Australia, and defending champs, Team Finland. Every mile counts since all three of us have a strong motivation to win.

So far we’ve beaten into 40 knots of wind, ran before it in 48 knots, and seen up to 5m swells. In other words, the Roaring Forties have been good to us – this is nothing compared to what it is known to dish out. The first low pressure system is currently moving past, and is giving us great speeds on the rest of the fleet. Right now, we are in a small lull – only 20 knots of wind– towards the middle of the system.

Given we are heading to sunny Australia and the Southern Hemisphere summer, it has been freezing cold on deck. The wind seems to come straight from Antarctica and our boat is the first thing it reaches.

I finally broke down and dug out my helming mittens last night. At first I thought it was overkill, until I did a 45 minute stint on the helm in bare hands. When I came down below to thaw out, I held my hands above the stove. Although I could see the blue flame of the burner, my hands were too numb to feel the heat!

Getting ready to go on watch takes longer and longer. Sometimes I forget what I am wearing under all the layers. I’ve added a midlayer to my usual thermals and ocean foul weather gear. On my head is a fleece “buff”, or head wrap that covers everything but the face.

The feet are another story. I was sorry to discover the “cheaper” brand of racing boots, which were $160 CAN, are leaking. I’d been wearing wet, cold socks for 3 days until I discovered bags in the galley that perfectly fit over my feet! Worth about $0.10 CAN each; they seem to be doing a better job keeping my socks dry when layered in the boots.

Good thing, because tonight is going to be the coldest night yet. The wind has come around and we are going upwind again. This means we will feel the cold more than sailing downwind – the apparent wind is greater. Knowing we have worked hard to get in first place and stay there, defending the title is more important than being warm and comfortable. If that was the case, we could have stayed home in front of the fireplace – I know I’d rather be out here on the Southern Ocean!

Cape Breton Clipper leads the fleet amid exciting conditions in the Southern Ocean

Cape Breton Island currently leads a duel with Spirit of Australia, with Team Finland keeping pressure on their heals. The battle at the front of the fleet is proving to be edge of the seat viewing. One can only imagine the amount of focus and mental energy it takes for the crews to maintain the best boat speed - never mind the physical effort of racing across the Southern Ocean.

Cape Breton Island ~ Nova Scotia’s Masterpiece and Spirit of Australia have been almost neck and neck for the last two days - five miles separating them at most in terms of distance to finish and they're now getting a taste of what the Southern Ocean is really like. And, according to Jan Ridd, the skipper of Cape Breton Island, the crew are revelling in the conditions.

"The 'Fickle Forties' are now definitely the Roaring Forties! Yesterday afternoon we were running comfortably under spinnaker in a Force 4 and, as the sun set, I made the decision to drop and go with poled out number 2 which, at the time, seemed a conservative choice but I explained to the crew that a wrap could set us back hours. We carried on with poled out Yankee 2 and full main as the wind built to a steady Force 5 gusting Force 6 to 7. So, with another uneasy feeling I called for the first reef to be put in, which the crew did flawlessly, and soon after I told them we were going to change down to the Yankee 3, even though the wind had not built substantially and we were still well within the Yankee 2's range. Again the crew did a flawless evolution and managed to drop the Yankee 2 without damaging a hank. We then gybed with just the staysail flying and one reef in the main and, as we were going through the gybe, the wind jumped from 20 knots to more than 40 knots which made helming very difficult as the boat was very unbalanced. I quickly grabbed the helm and got the crew to go about setting up the boat.

“There was a lot to do with the pressure of having to work quickly, knowing I was struggling to keep the boat on course. First of all, we hoisted the Yankee 3 to help balance the power of the mainsail then we reduced the main to the second reef, which made the helm manageable. They then had to flake and pack the number 2 in over 40 knots. Once the sail was safely down below they had to drop the staysail and pole out the number 3 to balance the power of the mainsail and make the boat easier to helm. All this they achieved very professionally and quickly which would have been a credit to any team racing in the Solent and all the more impressive in the Southern Ocean. It was easily the busiest watch of the race so far and I cannot praise Rob and his team enough for their work last night.

"At watch change, it had calmed down a bit to Force 6 gusting 7, so I decided to grab some sleep, knowing if the wind built I would not be sleeping until this system passed! Well, I woke up three hours later and popped my head up through the hatch to be met by grinning faces and a four-metre swell rising behind the stern of the boat and the watch proudly telling me they had seen 48 knots on the instruments! It's another testament to Cape Breton Island's crew that after their South Atlantic experience in the last leg they feel comfortable handling the Big Blue Canoe in these conditions. They are all awesome!

“We are now nicely set up, holding a reasonable boat speed, the sun is shining and it looks like it is going to be a glorious day's sailing. All the crew are eager to get on the helm as the swells get larger making the surfs that much longer and faster!

“Everyone is in very good spirits onboard and loving the adrenaline rush and the Southern Ocean is delivering the experience they all expected. I am fairly relaxed. The way the crew are handling the boat is inspiring me with confidence, although I am very aware how quickly things could go wrong and am continuously running 'what if' scenarios through my mind! It occurs to me that for some of the crew on all the boats who have never sailed before joining the Clipper Race, and with only four weeks training, they are sailing across the Southern Ocean in a Force 9, which is truly awesome. I remember when I was training the first time I crossed the English Channel it was an enormous achievement! This truly brings into focus what an amazing challenge they have taken on."

Team Finland is piling the pressure on Cape Breton Island and Spirit of Australia, pulling back six miles in three hours to match the Aussie's distance to finish at the latest position report on the Race Viewer.

Photo by Clipper Ventures

Video Clip - Start of Leg 3 from Cape Town

Here's a clip of the start of the 3rd Leg of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Race from Cape Town. Includes interviews with Skipper Jan Ridd and Cape Breton's own Elisa Jenkins.

Elisa's Journey - Toward the Southern Ocean!

Cape Town provided the backdrop for one of our most exciting starts. With Table Mountain towering over the bay, there were 5 knots of breeze in one area, then 25 knots only a short distance away. We started out with one reef in the main sail in windy conditions, and progressed to a lightweight spinnaker as we went through the shadow of the mountain.

A line of wind was visible as we progressed along the Atlantic coast of South Africa. Amazingly enough, Finland caught the first edge of it from only a quarter mile away. We moved along slowly and waited to reach the line of wind – it looked so close yet so far away!

Once we got there we quickly progressed to one reef, two reefs, and finally three reefs to keep the boat under control (Note - a reef means to make the main sail smaller so it does not get overpowered in windy conditions, it keeps the boat from heeling over too far). We went from our biggest sails to our smallest in a matter of a couple hours.

We were beating into the windiest upwind weather of the race thus far, even more so than out of Rio. Wind speeds were upwards of 30 knots, with gusts to 40 knots. The seas were also bigger as we neared one of the world’s great capes – The Cape of Good Hope. Keeping good speeds, we worked our way up to second place with only a few miles from first. In fact, we could see Spirit of Australia, our first place competitor, for quite a while last night. Our course set us south of the fleet, hoping to catch the approaching weather system.

As the sun set on our first night at sea, we pushed straight into 35 knots of breeze. Helming through the waves carefully, even our smallest sails felt quite powerful. After a wonderful week relaxing in Cape Town, the change in environment was a shock for most, especially the first two days.

A few didn’t emerge from their bunks until day two. Others felt under the weather but dragged themselves up on deck. Even people who are usually not sick felt unwell for the first couple days.

My personal experience mostly involves “contracting” of the stomach and low energy levels. I am lucky to avoid seasickness, but have trouble eating more than small amounts of food for the first couple days of rough upwind sailing. I force myself to eat, but most of the time I feel like there is a rock in my stomach, leaving no room for food. When I lie down in my bunk and relax it settles down.

With the stomach muscles being so tightened up, the breathing becomes shallow, and energy levels drop. At the same time, high energy is required to move around the deck and complete sail changes. I suppose it is a form of survival mode until the body adapts to the conditions. Motivations from those around you help you carry on.

The other night, I was so tired and trying to drag myself up for watch. I had only slept maybe 4 hours out of the past 24. I hadn’t eaten much. Someone mentioned Spirit of Australia was in sight. I rolled out of my warm bunk and got into my already wet foul weather gear. It seemed to require a lot of energy just to get dressed. I wondered how I would last 4 hours on deck, especially if we had to do a sail change.

Once, I got on the helm, and started chasing them down, I seemed to recover my energy – the motivation to gain miles on them kept me going. Plus fellow crew Jim saying, “Whose boat is this anyway – go get’em!” A bit of cheering on never hurts!

Now heading into our third day at sea, I am starting to eat reasonably sized meals again and regaining energy. The other crew seem to be coming alive as well. Winds have lightened up to 20 knots or so, and we await the arrival of the first low pressure system of the trip. We are working hard to stay in front of the fleet and keep up the mileage.

So far, it has been more challenging than the last 2 Legs – just what I was hoping for.  Let’s keep this momentum going and prepare for the big seas of the Southern Ocean!

On a personal note, I’d like to congratulate my sister Alanna and her husband Dave on the birth of their second little girl! I wish I could be there, and can’t wait to phone and see pictures when I arrive in Australia. Miss you guys!

Cape Breton Island puts pressure on leaders after dramatic start to Leg 3 of Clipper 09-10

Cape Breton Island – Nova Scotia’s Masterpiece is racing towards Geraldton-Greenough, Western Australia, after a dramatic start to Race 4 of Clipper 09-10 in Cape Town which saw eight of the boats cross the start line for the 4,700-mile race, while a collision between Hull & Humber and Cork, Ireland resulted in the two teams returning to harbour. None of the crew were hurt and the Race Director and the shore team are now assessing the damage to Hull & Humber’s port aft quarter and Cork’s bow.

The crew of Cape Breton Island were among the first sailors to begin a tradition of saluting a bust of South Africa’s most famous yachtsman, Bertie Reed, as they passed by on the way out of the harbour at the V&A Waterfront. The statue was unveiled at a pre-departure ceremony in Cape Town this morning and the Canadian team paid their respects to the celebrated sailor.

Cape Breton Island is lying seventh overall in Clipper 09-10 and skipper, Jan Ridd, knows he and his crew have some work to do to bring themselves back into contention for the Clipper Trophy. Before he left the marina a confident Jan explained how he is hoping to play this next Leg.

He said, “The last race was fabulous - we just got unlucky with the weather. We got ourselves into a wind hole and got one system behind the rest of the fleet. The tactics for this one is to stay with the fleet. We’re not going to get parted from them, we’re not going to do any flyers, we’re going to stay in the middle of the fleet and stay with everyone else – and that’s our plan. We’re definitely looking for a podium – we need it. We’re looking for first place.

“The crew are feeling good, they’re feeling positive. We know that we can sail the big blue canoe faster than anyone else. In the last race when we actually got the weather we were pulling ten miles over the fleet every six hours, so put us on the same playing field and we will beat them!”

Round the world crew member, Elisa Jenkins, a physiotherapist from Sydney, Cape Breton Island, said at the end of Leg 2 that, despite the large waves and strong winds, she hadn’t been scared yet. So will this be the race to do it? “I’ll let you know in Australia!” she laughed. “This leg is known for having a lot bigger seas than the previous two legs so I’m really looking forward it – it should be some thrilling sailing. And to arrive in Australia, the place I first really learned to sail, it’s going to be a big moment for me as well.”

Elisa is using her experience to help raise money for Cape Breton Cancer Centre and hopes to raise $35,000 towards the expansion project. “I’m just amazed at all the support everyone back home has been giving and thank you to everyone for all of your messages and your support for our Mile for Mile campaign,” she said.


Out on the water as a South African Navy minesweeper fired the gun to signal the start of one of the toughest stages of Clipper 09-10, a race that will take the crews down into the howling wind and remote expanse of the Southern Ocean, California got off to a another cracking start in the stiff south easterly breeze in Table Bay. The team endorsed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was first across the line to massive cheers from the crew on board.

California was followed by Spirit of Australia, looking for a win on this race to their home port, and Team Finland. The skippers of both California and Team Finland live in Cape Town and they may have been able to call on a little local knowledge to press home their advantage as they led the fleet back into the South Atlantic. As they sailed into the lee of Table Mountain, which looked magnificent in the South African sunshine, the winds dropped slightly.

The Clipper Race is hard fought and, as in any sport, the adrenaline is pumping for the crews on the start line.

Race Chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, was watching the action on the water and said, “This is a closely contested race and this kind of thing happens in fiercely competitive racing. The race is underway – eight boats are racing off towards Geraldton in Western Australia. For the two damaged boats, repairs will be effected as speedily as possible so they can catch up.”

The Clipper maintenance team, headed up by Justin Haller, has already begun assessing the damage and is in contact with local marine surveyors who will be called in to assist. Both yachts have been taken from the V&A Waterfront to Royal Cape Yacht Club for the work to be carried out.

Hearing of the incident, the Irish Ambassador to South Africa, who was in Cape Town today, has stayed in the city to support the team and is commiserating with them at the yacht club.

Cape Town has proved a huge hit with the crews who have enjoyed climbing Table Mountain – and abseiling down its sheer granite rock face – visiting Robben Island, the gardens at Kirstenbosch. And a few even had the chance to take an exclusive, behind the scenes tour of the brand new Cape Town Stadium which is being built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

As much as they love visiting the stopover cities and countries, the crews are here to race and this morning they were anxious to get back out on the water. As the eight teams who crossed the start line headed back out into the South Atlantic, the current overall race leader Team Finland was just ahead of California. Spirit of Australia was just behind them in third place, followed by the eagle-emblazoned Cape Breton Island, Uniquely Singapore and Qingdao. Jamaica Lightning Bolt and Edinburgh Inspiring Capital were not far behind.

The teams will round the Cape of Good Hope before heading down into the treacherous waters of the Southern Ocean where the first three boats to reach the scoring gate can gain some precious extra points. The fleet is expected to arrive in Geraldton-Greenough, Western Australia, between 14 and 18 December.

Elisa's Journey - Reflections on Legs 1 and 2

The Clipper experience has been fully absorbing – all of my thoughts and actions some how connect to the race, the boat, or the other 19 crew living several feet away.

People you speak with every day are crossing oceans and sailing around the world. It starts to feel like this is a regular thing to do, such as going to the supermarket! I have become so accustomed to the atmosphere and activities surrounding the race. It all feels like a natural sort of activity…until you reach a beautiful landfall like Cape Town and start telling people about it. Their reactions have renewed my perspective of the big picture.

Yesterday I decided to go away to the seaside town of Muizenberg for two whole days on my own. It is my first time off the boat in solitude since August – over 3 months ago!

I am staying at a beautiful guest house called Blue Canyon, and began to tell the owner about my trip. Her reaction brought me back to reality. She said, “I am 49 years old, and you are the first person I met who is sailing around the world!” I am reminded that this Clipper experience is truly unique.

I’ve got a handy set of brochures on Cape Breton, which makes it easier to describe where I’m from, and how I ended up sailing into Cape Town. People have shown so much enthusiasm and interest in the race. One woman stopped by and left me a message – she used to live in Sydney 30 years ago!

To step away from the Clipper environment has allowed me to reflect back on the progress to date. Eight thousand miles later, here I am in Cape Town!

One of the most common questions people ask is, “What was the difference between Legs 1 and 2?”

The biggest contrast was the weather. During Leg 1, we struggled to get every bit of speed in the light wind conditions. The temperature was so hot, we had to design a “wind sock” to funnel air through the living area. Night watches were a treat to sit out in the cool air. Helming required a very light touch, with only small adjustments to keep course. Minor trim changes gave us that extra 0.1 knots of boat speed.

Leg 2 started out with 20 knots sailing upwind – against the wind and waves. It was exhilarating to be out in the elements again. Foul weather gear was donned for the first time – although it wasn’t cold enough to break out the boots. Eventually I had to give in. Firstly, my (new) Teva sandals were falling apart at the seams and the other crew were getting cold just by looking at my bare feet!

Quite a number of crew were seasick for the first couple days, but it didn’t last long. Just when we thought we were lined up for a fast ride to Cape Town, we landed in another light wind patch. Not far enough south to catch the low pressure system, boat speed was down to three knots…the boats north and south of us pulled ahead. The only good part – it was my mother watch day, so I managed to prepare the crew’s dinner without destroying the galley.

Eventually, another weather system passed through, and we were on our way again. Some top speeds were marked surfing down waves. I describe it as spectacular sailing. Finally some decent size waves in the right direction.

We never did catch up with the fleet after the initial light wind patch. The other Clippers had good winds and speeds as well. However, it was a successful passage in every other respect. The crew did a great job sailing the boat, sails were all intact on arrival in Cape Town, and our manoeuvres ran safely. All in all, it was a very enjoyable trip.

Crew morale was very positive throughout the crossing. The impatience people seem to get during light wind conditions did not have a chance to creep in. We had good winds for most of the trip. Our three watch system also allowed for more time to interact with the other watches. We had a really interesting group of people. I particularly enjoyed hearing stories from Aleks – she grew up in Vanuatu, where I spent time sailing a few years ago. I’ve been fascinated by the place ever since, and can’t wait to return one day.

My personal goal for the journey was to spend more time following the weather systems and analyzing the changes. It was a really interesting leg for this, watching the weather systems pass below us, and trying to get the best position for favourable winds. Helming was another favourite aspect – finally some swells and waves!!

I’m looking forward to our departure on Sunday for Australia – home of my early sailing adventures, and one of my favourite places in the world. We’ll round the Cape of Good Hope, and set out on almost a month at sea. Leg 3 is expected to have some of the best (ie: the biggest) swells – can’t wait to do some sailing again!

Next report to follow will be from the ocean….

New Video: The Cape Breton Clipper sails into Cape Town

Here's a video clip of the Cape Breton Clipper sailing into Cape Town, South Africa, plus interviews with Skipper Jan Ridd and crew member Elisa Jenkins and some high seas action!

Cape Breton Island sails into Cape Town

Cape Breton Island – Nova Scotia’s Masterpiece has arrived in Cape Town against the imposing backdrop of Table Mountain, crossing the finish line at the end of Race 3 in the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race. The stage from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, saw the crew race 3,300 miles across the South Atlantic.
 

The Canadian entry in the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race was the ninth boat to finish the race and it proved to be a challenging sail that delivered big seas, high winds and low temperatures for the crew of everyday people who decided to embark on this challenge of a lifetime.

Skipper Jan Ridd, from Weymouth, UK said, “We had an awesome sail – it was so much fun to have this boat surfing down four or five metre waves doing 20 plus knots. Everyone was grinning!”

At the outset of the race from Rio, Cape Breton Island opted for a course midway between the two groups that had chosen to stay north or to dive south. So, on reflection, does he regret that early decision?

“I’d say ‘yes’ in hindsight but at the time when I was looking at our position I was very pleased with it. Both Cape Breton Island and Spirit of Australia got caught in our own personal wind holes and it wasn’t there on the forecast.

“It was very frustrating for the first couple of days when the fleet started to pull away, then we got into some wind and we started pulling back; then the second time they kicked into some wind and we didn’t and they pulled away. But there comes a point when you actually have to accept it. We sailed as well as we could, the crew performed amazingly, we got good boat speed when we actually had wind and we proved that.”

Cape Breton Islander, Elisa Jenkins, has taken time out from her job as a physiotherapist to compete on the whole circumnavigation. Arriving in Cape Town, the Sydney native said, “It was fantastic! We had a lot of good wind, it was really exciting, the team worked together as usual and it was a really enjoyable trip.

“It was much different from Leg 1. Then we were just fighting to get enough wind to keep moving. In this one we pretty much had weather systems working with us most of the way. We fell behind in the first one which cost us some positions but we managed to keep up the good speeds through the rest of the crossing and managed to have a great race.

The South Atlantic has delivered some fairly hairy conditions for most of the crews but Elisa has taken it all in her stride. “We didn’t really see any stormy conditions so we’re lucky in that respect. Put it this way: I haven’t been scared yet – ask me again after the next race!”

Luke Dampier is a gap year student from the UK. His skill, driving the boat down the front of the huge South Atlantic rollers helped him record the boat’s top speed during the race. “That was the best bit,” he grins. “Going 23 knots down a wave and I was on the helm. Very happy about that. The whole experience has been fantastic so far and the race down to Cape Town was unbelievable. Position wise we’re not that bothered but the race was fantastic. We’ll definitely make it up.”

With just three of the 14 races in the series there are still a lot of points up for grabs and Luke’s confidence in his team mates’ ability to bounce back is echoed by the skipper. Jan says, “We were sitting in third overall, now we’ve dropped down – it just means we have to win the next one!”

Race 3 was won by Cork, Ireland, who finished at 1438 local time (1238 GMT) yesterday. Team Finland emerged victorious from their battle for second place with Uniquely Singapore who finished third.

California, the tenth 68-foot racing yacht in the Clipper fleet is due to finish tomorrow and is expected at Royal Cape Yacht Club on Sunday afternoon.

The whole fleet will move to the V&A Waterfront on Friday 20 November where the yachts will be available for public viewing. The race will restart on Sunday 22 November, the yachts departing the V&A at 11am for start of the race from Cape Town to Geraldton-Greenough, Western Australia, at 2pm.

Photo courtesy of Clipper Ventures 

Elisa's Journey - Sailing the South Atlantic

For those following our constant efforts to catch up with the fleet, I can attest the mood of the crew does not reflect our position. The winning attitude of the individuals on board has emerged more than ever on Leg 2.

We’ve experienced some of the best sailing and boat speeds of the race over the past two days. It has been thoroughly enjoyable seeing our eagle surf down waves and perform in optimum downwind conditions.

We were a bit on the edge the other night with gusts up to 45 knots – two reefs were needed to reduce the size of our main sail. Currently we’ve settled in the 30 knot range for some spectacular sailing. The weather system underneath us is moving along at just the right speed to keep us going.

Last night I returned on deck after 24 hours on mother watch – keeping the crew well fed and watered. I hoped the homemade bread made up for the “hot dogs in a can” that went with it!

During mother watch, the winds built up to over 40 knots. It was tricky for making tea, but fantastic for getting the boat moving after our period of light winds. I timed my movements with the rolling of the sea, trying not to spill our dinner on hungry crew members.

I very much wanted to be up on deck racing, but keeping the crew well nourished is just as important and part of the experience. My time would come…

When 9 pm rolled around, I was ready to go up and take the helm. I got the first hour since I had just returned from mother watch. It was pitch dark with gusts of 45 knots behind me. Going by feel of the boat’s movement, and compass bearing, I navigated my way up and down the invisible waves. You could feel the boat speeding up by the sound of water rushing past the hull.

Sailing at night brings your sense of speed to a whole new level. It was exhilarating!

Things only got better from here. I just finished one of the most exciting watches of Leg 2 a few minutes ago. The sails were set for a downwind run, with the Yankee # 2 poled out to catch the wind. After a full day of strong winds, the swell and waves were building. I achieved a personal best while helming down a wave. All you could see was the spray of white water as the bow cut through the waves – 18.9 knots of boat speed was the result, with dolphins adding to the scene!

Our watch cheered each other on as we felt a good surf coming on, and agreed it was a watch to go down in the books. Team spirit at its best.

Returning to our warm, cozy living quarters after watch, I reflected on the events of the day. Moving at top speeds across the swells of the South Atlantic has an awe inspiring effect – how lucky we all are to be sharing this experience!

Elisa's Journey - Highs and Lows

Highs and lows do not refer to our best and worst moments today. Focus of the race revolves around the high and low pressure systems of the South Atlantic. They dictate our wind, or lack thereof, and we plan our course according to their patterns.

Early in the Leg 2 race, we positioned ourselves in the middle of the fleet – some boats were north of us, some were south. Both groups got better wind, especially the more southerly boats. They hooked into a low pressure system moving across towards Cape Town.

Our team sailed well, but continued to fall behind given the light winds. The view from the back of the fleet was not a pretty one. We were doing our best, and it was frustrating to see the other boats pulling ahead.

The next low pressure system was our chance to gain some mileage. The low moves in an easterly direction across the South Atlantic, and was approaching just south of us. It is a clockwise pattern of revolving wind, with the top section bringing the right wind direction. It was not preferred to take a more northerly route because there was a large high pressure system reaching all the way from Brazil to South Africa – this meant lighter winds and less boat speed.

Being in the back of the fleet, we were the first ones to catch the wind, and managed to have a great run over the past 24 hours. At one point, the wind was too strong to keep the heavyweight spinnaker flying – top boat speed was 20 knots, with sustained 16 knots for a short period! Our mileage was up there with the other Clippers, but the winds of the low were now catching up with them as well. We all had a similar advantage again.

Last night, my midnight to 3 am watch had some action as the low pressure system began to pull ahead of us. We started on a downwind run, and got ready to put the spinnaker up again. The winds and sea state were settled since our big day yesterday.

Just as we were about to hoist the spinnaker, after an hour of preparations, the wind shifted about 50 degrees in 5 minutes. Next thing we knew, we were going upwind. The spinnaker would have taken us back towards England with the new wind direction!

We’ve been carrying on with good speeds since. The fleet in front of us are still in good winds remaining from the passing low. We are working hard to gain miles. It is not an easy task without a significant wind advantage over the other boats.

We’ll await the new weather report today and see how things are shaping up over the next few days. It looks like a new low pressure system is developing off South America, so hopefully it will offer us a fast ride to Cape Town. If it reaches us first, we could get a chance to make up some miles. One thing for certain about the weather – one report usually looks a lot different than the next. We’ll keep working out the best options to get ahead.

Keeping our heads up, and sailing our best – will report again in a few days!

Elisa's Journey - Scary Sights on the Cape Breton Clipper

Under an almost-full moon, some new characters emerged on Cape Breton Island. Dracula, a skeleton, Frankenstein, and a just plain ugly guy showed up to get the boat moving towards Cape Town. They scared off the light wind patch and succeeded in getting the fastest speeds of the night.

Our eagle popped up on deck to see what was going on, and seemed pleased at the newcomers’ performance. That high pressure system would surely not come near us with this crew on deck!

Saraid, our special events coordinator, said, “It’s important to mark these kinds of moments. You never need an excuse to dress up. It was Halloween, and I didn’t want to let the fun slip by even though we’re racing 24/7!”

We stayed on top of our sail trim, and kept on course in the midst of celebrations. The moon was bright, and the shape of our spinnaker was easily spotted. Dracula took the helm, Frankenstein worked the coffee grinder, and the ugly guy called trim. If a ship went by in the night, they would definitely have taken a second glance.

“People seem to race harder and trim faster when yelled at in a deep scary voice,” Elisa noted while calling trim in a ghoulish mask. Unnamed crew thought she looked better in the morning.  They didn’t seem to notice she was wearing a costume, or the big wart on her nose.

Having such a great time, our three-hour watch flew by quickly. When it was time to wake the others, we decided to remain in costume. The sleeping quarters were entered quietly, hoping to give the next watch a sudden fright.

Luke, who was awakened for his midnight watch, commented, “I was surprised and shocked to see ugly teeth bearing down on me. Should I slap the person waking me up?” We sent a backup just in case that happened. Somehow, I don’t think it would be possible to knock out those teeth!

Another crew was greeted with, “Trick or Treat?” Unfortunately, the only treats available were week old laundry and finely seasoned sailing shoes. I think people were too surprised to come up with any tricks on short notice. After all, when is the last time you were woken up by Dracula?

Fair enough, some crew were offshore for the first time, a new experience in itself. Now they had Halloween creatures coming to wake them from their sleep. The whole thing really must seem like a dream, surely not a nightmare, on such a beautiful moonlit night.

Race to Cape Town slows down for Cape Breton Clipper

It's a case of déjà vu for some of the teams competing in Clipper 09-10. The winds have lightened up across the fleet and dropped some of the yachts into wind holes reminiscent of those that gave them so much trouble in the Doldrums.

Race Director Joff Bailey says, "Generally the teams that are further south have slightly stronger winds, which is shown with their boat speeds, and these winds should increase over the next 24 to 48 hours. This will have the effect of compressing the fleet but will it be enough for the likes of Hull & Humber who are furthest south to catch the front runners before the scoring gate which is only about 600nm away? Or will it be too little, too late? Only time will tell."

Most frustrated by the light winds is Cape Breton Island, who hedged their bets on a course through the middle of the fleet.

"We're in danger of getting a parking ticket as have run in to a very light patch of wind," reports skipper, Jan Ridd. "Yesterday afternoon and evening we were working hard trying to keep the boat moving and keep some south in our heading which was not easy as that meant losing all apparent wind. We tried many different sail combinations but in the end it was to no avail as last night the fog rolled in and the true wind dropped below 2 knots from the north. So we packed away the lightweight kite and were about to resign ourselves to hoisting the windseeker and settling to move in any direction we could when some instinct told me to hoist the number one Yankee instead and, within minutes of hoisting, we were sailing again with 13 knots of true wind and heading south east again. We're looking forward to getting further south and hopefully getting into some stronger winds and doing some surfing."

The Cape Breton Clipper had been on a more southerly course directly out of Rio and getting stronger winds, but that course also came with a very “lumpy” sea that took its tool on the crew with a number of them suffering from seasickness.

Skipper Jan said, "After a couple of days of bouncing around and falling into some large potholes that suddenly appear in the sea, we have sailed into some lighter winds. It's created mixed feelings; on one side I am frustrated that the boat speed is down but, on the plus side it is giving the crew that were feeling seasick a very welcome break, allowing them to eat some food and get some much needed calories inside them, which was starting to concern me.”

The fleet is racing toward a scoring gate that will provide valuable points on the way to Cape Town.

You can follow the race positions here.

Elisa's Journey - Life at 45 Degrees – Leg 2 to South Africa Begins

Waking up in Rio yesterday was a flat calm morning. I hoped we would have enough wind for the Leg 2 race start at 3:00. Well, the winds picked up nicely, setting the stage for an exciting start, boats neck and neck across the line. There were some interesting wind shifts off Sugarloaf Mountain just to keep us on our toes. Before we knew it, the views of mountains and Copacabana Beach were in the distance, and we were back to life at sea.

After a very busy stopover, it was a relief to return to the “eat, sleep, sail routine”. Leg 1 was a series of flat spinnaker runs and challenges of keeping the boat moving in light winds. So far, Leg 2 is like night and day in comparison. Within a few hours, we were sailing as close to the wind as possible, surfing our way up and down 2-3m swells!

Our watch system was changed to suit the more physically challenging condition – a rotation of 3 watches. One watch sails the boat constantly for 3 hours. Another stands by, ready to be woken for assistance as needed. The third watch sleeps for 3 hours, or at least has an attempt.

I enjoy the helming in these conditions very much – for the first time, there are some good sized waves to work with. Life down below, however, takes on a whole new meaning. For example, to write on this computer, I have to keep myself carefully braced – otherwise I will be on the floor in a matter of seconds. Walking around requires a grab bar or wall to balance yourself at all times. Again, landing on the floor is very likely. I feel like I have gone from a fit 31 year old to a 90 year old in a matter of hours.

Climbing into my top bunk takes several tries, timing it just right with the waves. I hold the grab bar, step on the bottom bunk, and pull myself up when the waves are working in my favour. Once up, I need to tie my lee-cloth within seconds. Its purpose is to hold me in the bunk when the waves roll the boat. Once safely up there, I need to adjust the pulley system of the bunk to keep it at the flattest angle, hoping we don’t tack while I am asleep! This needs to be done from in the bunk, as I can’t reach the pull cord from the floor.

These conditions are a far cry from my mother watch last month where I could balance on one leg for 20 seconds – that was my test to see if it would be a good day to spend in the galley. Today, I feel sorry for our Moms. All 3 of them feel queasy, and have the additional duty of mothering those who are ill, including cleaning up after them.

A few crew became seasick in the first 12 hours, and had a difficult night. Several were not able to stand their watches, another group felt nausea, but were quite functional, and the rest of us were OK, but not 100%. For me, I just find it hard to eat, but make sure I get small bits in to keep up energy. I sleep more than usual as well. So far I’m feeling good about things, and hope those among the seasick recover soon. Often it is just the first few days to adjust.

As for the race, we had a good run with Australia the last 24 hours, keeping them in sight most of the time. We had to stay on the same tack to avoid a surveying area earlier today, which increased our distance from them, but still in good position in terms of our path to Cape Town. After one of the most exciting starts, it’s great to be at sea again and sailing in some challenging conditions. By the end of the year, I’m sure this will feel like a calm day!

Cape Breton Clipper leaves Rio bound for Cape Town

Here's a clip of the race start ceremony and the Cape Breton Clipper crew leaving the harbour in Rio, heading toward Cape Town, South Africa. That's Cape Breton fiddlers Dawn & Margie Beaton you hear playing in the last part of the video to see of the crew! Good luck on Leg 2!

Cape Breton Tunes in Rio

Here's a video clip of the corporate sail for the Cape Breton trade mission, plus some tunes from Dawn & Margie Beaton playing at the Clipper Race Pavilion in Rio de Janeiro:

Last minute heartache as Cape Breton Island secures 4th place in Race 2 of Clipper 09-10

Cape Breton Island completed Race 2 from La Rochelle to Rio de Janeiro in fourth place, crossing the finish line at 07:05:10 local time, just 12 minutes ahead of Cork. It mirrors their fourth place in Race 1 of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and leaves them in joint fourth place overall with 14 points on the championship board. But the battle over the last few miles proved frustrating for them as light winds snatched away a seemingly certain podium place after 28 days at sea. Line honours for Race 2 went to Team Finland with Spirit of Australia and Jamaica Lightning Bolt taking second and third respectively.

Cape Breton Island skipper, Jan Ridd, says, “It’s been emotional! To have raced so far and finish within sight of another boat is truly amazing. We are all very disappointed to have lost out to Spirit of Australia, and Jamaica Lightning Bolt in the last six hours. It has been a very long and frustrating day struggling to find any wind to sail with while watching other boats move ahead of us and Cork closing in from behind. But we are really glad to be here in Rio and are looking forward to some well earned rest before next week’s race start to Cape Town.”

Team Finland’s skipper Eero Lehtinen, says, “Race 2 was a very balanced and professional performance. The whole team has worked without a word of complaint, in the extreme heat, under pressure from competition, in the long hours with no wind and no boat speed, during the endless sail changes and trimming. “

In a race which has been marked by light winds, Team Finland took an early lead out of La Rochelle but soon lost it by sailing into a wind hole as the fleet rounded Cape Finisterre. As weather forecasts indicated light winds across the 90 nautical mile long gate south of the Canary Islands, Team Finland made the decision to bail out and focus on a ten point win into Rio. They were followed by several of the race entries, including Cape Breton Island, who proceeded to remain in the top five boats for the remainder of the race. Spirit of Australia held their nerve and the decision to go for the scoring gate paid off, beating Hull & Humber across the line and securing the team three valuable points. The decisions made by Spirit of Australia and Team Finland over the scoring gate proved to be the defining moment in both teams’ races, as Team Finland moved into the lead and held it to the finish line.

Periods of light winds have dogged the fleet for the first trans-Atlantic crossing of Clipper 09-10. With virtually no wind at the start in La Rochelle, around the Canary Islands and for half the boats through the Doldrums, the normally reliable trade winds have also been lighter than expected. As the fleet neared its final destination of Rio de Janeiro, once again light conditions brought the leading boats to a near halt.

Over the final days of racing a three way battle took place behind Team Finland for the final two podium positions and at one point it looked as though a Finnish victory may not be guaranteed. Spirit of Australia led the charge closely followed by Cape Breton Island and Jamaica Lightning Bolt whose positions swapped on a regular basis as the teams focused on the Cabo Frio finish line. Until the final 100 miles it looked as though the Canadian entry was going to pip Jamaica Lightning Bolt to the post. However, a decision to take a more inshore route proved fatal. Cape Breton Island lost the wind and slowed, allowing Pete Stirling and his team to take third place.

At midday GMT on Monday 20 October, the Clipper 09-10 Race Committee announced a shortened course for Race 2 from La Rochelle to Rio de Janeiro. The amended Sailing Instructions gave the teams 24 hours notice of the shortened course and the final positions were taken at midday GMT on Tuesday 20 October. Those teams that have crossed the finish line will be awarded the relevant finishing position, while the others will be awarded the position based on their distance to finish at that time.

This is a standard procedure used in both ocean racing and around the cans events and is called into play by race organizers who must ensure they meet the goals of the teams, the spectators and the overall event.

The decision is not one that was taken lightly. In all around the world yacht races, the first priority is the safety of the crews and their boats and this is most certainly the case with the Clipper Race. Race 3 is due to start on Tuesday 27 October and it is important from the point of view of good seamanship that the teams get the opportunity to prepare themselves and their boats correctly for the next stage of the race, which will take them towards the Southern Ocean on the way to Cape Town, South Africa.

Once finished, the teams will make their way by fastest means, through a combination of using their engines and sailing, to the Iate Clube do Rio de Janeiro, which will host the fleet for the duration of the stopover.

First priority on arriving in port will be to clean the yacht and begin the routine maintenance required to keep the boats in peak performance condition, as well as catching up on much needed sleep and food other than the tinned and dried variety on offer at sea. The victuallers must also ensure their yacht is fully stocked for the next 3,385-mile race to Cape Town.

Cape Breton Island Clipper in tight race to finish line

Cape Breton Island – Nova Scotia’s Masterpiece is in a four-way race with Spirit of Australia, Jamaica Lightning Bolt and Cork for second place in the La Rochelle to Rio de Janeiro leg of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race.

However, the area off the coast of Brazil has turned into a parking lot for the leading pack today. As the teams try to eek out every bit of power from the rapidly diminishing wind, frustration is palpable amongst the skippers.

Cape Breton Island has emerged from Stealth Mode, a 24-hour option to be removed from the tracking view of the rest of the fleet. Their cloaking card has worked, sneaking ahead of Jamaica Lightning Bolt into third place. The team's skipper, Jan Ridd, is relieved, having spent the past 24-hours struggling in the same light winds as the front runners. Today, however, things seem to be looking up for Canada’s entry.

"Well we have eventually found a decent breeze," explains Jan. "We're currently sailing towards the finish at a half decent rate, which is nice after spending Stealth Mode struggling to keep the kite filled."
 
Cape Breton Island – Nova Scotia’s Masterpiece, the only Canadian entry in the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race, currently sits in third position behind leaders, Team Finland, and only 8 nautical miles behind second place, Spirit of Australia.

The boxing kangaroo will fall prey to the eagle of Cape Breton Island if skipper Ridd has his way. He says, "Well done to Brendan [Hall, Skipper of Spirit of Australia] for producing some consistently amazing six-hour runs irrespective of wind conditions. We have not thrown in the towel yet but definitely have been working hard to match him and his crew. A few days ago we had better boat speed and were pulling away, then they engaged overdrive and consistently put in runs of over 60 nm! We are still going well and have been trying all sorts of sheeting angles to try and match their speed and have come up with some new and effective ideas.”

The lead yachts are in the last 100 nautical miles of this leg of the race and are expected to reach the finish line today.

Elisa's Journey - Drag Race to Rio

We had a successful upwind sailing period after our equator crossing, working hard to secure second place in the fleet.

Just when we thought we escaped the light winds of “The Doldrums”, Cape Breton Clipper managed to get stuck in a wind hole – that didn’t appear on the weather charts! After several hours of working our way back into the winds, it was disheartening to see the reports. A lot of ground was lost, and we were now sitting in fourth place instead of second. Spirit of Australia was ahead by 20 miles, and Jamaica had just closed in.

The pressure was on in our fight for a podium finish. Last night, our course converged with Jamaica, and we popped out just ahead of them! Back in the game, it has been a drag race between us and Jamaica for the past 12 hours. Our courses diverged, and we are no longer in sight of each other. We’ll have to wait for the fleet update to see if we pulled ahead to third place. Of course, the distance to Rio doesn’t always mean as much as the course chosen to get there…

The mood on board is more serious than usual as we close in on the last few hundred miles of Leg 1. Every move we make counts at this point, and we’re trying to maximize the skills learned in the last few weeks. Of course we’re still enjoying the benefits of life on the water – sunrises, shooting stars, dolphins, and plenty of sunshine – but our focus on the race is at an all time high.

I’m noticing my competitive side emerging more than ever as we get closer to the finish, particularly when Jamaica was in plain sight! Although I’ll strive to do my personal best, it’s how we work together as a team that will make it count. And perhaps some good winds to boost us along!

It’s hard to believe we’ve been at sea for 24 days – I had to ask someone what day we left La Rochelle. You can easily lose track of time out here, especially when you wake up and go to sleep four times per day. As my full focus is placed on racing at the moment, I’m looking forward to reflecting on the experience as we arrive in Brazil. It still seems surreal that South America is just west of us! Stay tuned – the next couple days should hold some interesting race developments!

Cape Breton Island Clipper crosses the Equator and moves into second place

The effects of the ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergence Zone), or Doldrums, are now plain for all to see with two well defined groups – one that has managed to slip through to the other side with little or no difficulty and is now powering towards Rio de Janeiro; the other still trying to free itself from the area.

Jan Ridd, skipper of Cape Breton Island, reports his team crossed the Equator at 0045 UTC today. “We celebrated in style with lots of fancy dress. The sight of Luke (Dampier, a gap year student from the UK) in a micro skirt will stay with me for far too long. Hande (Bayik, a product brand manager from Turkey) also entertained us with some belly dancing in authentic costume and we had a fun, relaxed hour. Maybe a little too relaxed because towards the end we noticed the lights of another yacht, which we presume was a Clipper yacht. The yacht crossed our bow clearly hard on the wind, crossing less than a mile ahead.”

Could it have been Spirit of Australia? Skipper Brendan Hall says, “After a few thousand miles of solitude, out horizon was broken today by the sight of Jamaica Lighting Bolt’s sails. Shortly afterward, we could also see Cape Breton Island. I expect we will be seeing each other a lot over the next 1,500nm into Rio and, if our close finish with Hull & Humber in La Rochelle is anything to go by, the finish is going to be very exciting indeed.”

Tom Gruitt, a photographer for Hyde Sails and Cape Breton Island crew member, explains how the team managed to avoid the light winds usually associated with the Doldrums. "Our skipper, Jan Ridd, prepared us for the doldrums, saying that huge gains and losses could be made and that sailing just a few miles a day could see anyone gain the lead.

"In my line of work I get to talk to a lot of people from cruisers to professional round the world sailors, they have all said basically the same thing, the doldrums are tough and really test your patience. Imagine our surprise as Jan popped his head through the hatch saying he reckoned he had found a way through without sailing into a light wind area! He explained that we needed to catch the next weather system to get us across, so to the hour we got there, completed a really slick spinnaker drop and hoisted the Windseeker. An hour or so later the wind built and we hoisted the staysail and the Yankee 2.

"The relief on Jan's face was visible. Still sailing upwind, the breeze built on the nose to 27 knots...nothing like what any of the books have mentioned! About five boats have got through and the other half of the fleet are stuck. We all feel pretty lucky to have sailed through the Doldrums without dropping below 5 knots of boat speed, this will be story for all of us to tell back at the yacht club bar for a long time to come!"

Cape Breton Island – Nova Scotia’s Masterpiece, the only Canadian entry in the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race, currently sits in second position behind leaders, Team Finland, and 12 nautical miles ahead of Jamaica Lightning Bolt and Spirit of Australia.

Elisa's Journey - Cape Breton Island Crosses the Equator!

A first for everybody on board – crossing the Equator under sail! My watch was on duty at the time, and we voted to have our two Leggers, Morgan and David H, share the helm while crossing the line. It took a bit of coordination, but they managed to keep the boat going on a relatively straight course.

Several of our male crew members decided to also cross the gender line, appearing on deck with skirts and leotards. Within minutes, we went from our usual watch routine to a full blown party. We put one of our most responsible crew, David R, on the helm and turned up some music, starting with Bobby’s Clipper Song. The Cape Breton rhythms seem to be growing on the crew, with lots of toe tapping going on.

Hande, our crew from Turkey, came up with a skirt that jingles as she dances. I’ve been given the honour of taking the skirt around the world and wearing it at our next equator crossing. It is much shorter than I would have worn at age 19, but anything goes at the Equator! The deal is for me to return it to her in Turkey one day, where I will receive my very own short jingle skirt.

Luke showed up in a pink leotard and fairy skirt – complete with swim goggles. Phil wore a towel that somehow managed to stay intact with two clothes pegs holding it in place. Morgan somehow squeezed a tiny pink sweater over his biceps without ripping the seams.

All the while, the Cape Breton Island Clipper still managed to pull out some miles from Australia!
Her port light could be seen off our starboard side, estimating a distance within five miles. I wondered what kind of celebration they were having…

After all the excitement, I ended up sleeping an hour into my next watch! Apparently people tried to wake me up, but to no avail. Perhaps I’m not as young as I used to be – out cold after 2 hours of partying! I’ll have to work on that before our big arrival in Cape Breton next June.

Elisa's Journey - Countdown to the Equator

The Cape Breton Island crew spent the past few days sailing the best route towards the Equator. At this time of the year, there is a 200 mile stretch north of the Equator known as “The Doldrums”. It is know for light winds combined with the occasional squall. By a stroke of luck, against the navigation textbooks, we managed to coast right through this area without missing a beat – consistent winds the whole way!

Thoughts of taking a swim while becalmed in the Doldrums have been replaced by a fast paced countdown to the Equator – just under 100 miles to go before reaching the southern hemisphere! I look forward to the day I can look up at night and see the familiar Southern Cross, a reminder of my sailing experiences in Australia and the South Pacific.

Cape Breton Clipper moves up to 4th place

The Cape Breton Clipper has moved up to 4th place as the fleet approaches the Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa and begins to shift west to cross the Atlantic. You can follow the race by clicking here.

Elisa's Journey - Sails on the Horizon

After days of light and variable winds, we have a steady 15 knots of breeze at last. The wind shadows of the Canary Islands are miles behind as we make progress towards Rio. A spinnaker the size of a tennis court spells Cape Breton Island large as life.

While helming under a starry sky last night, I saw a light appear on the horizon. It seemed high enough to be a mast light, so we anticipated it may be one of our fellow Clippers! Our eagle charged on as dawn started to break, and the shadow of a spinnaker came into sight!

Our morning report confirmed Jamaica Clipper popped out the other side of the Canaries and converged on our course.

The race has gone up a notch. This is the first of our competitors we’ve seen in over a week. No longer are we following virtual positions on a computer printout – we have a boat to chase right in front of us, and can see if we are pulling ahead or losing ground. Since the weather is fairly consistent, we simply have to sail better and helm a good course to overtake them – well the theory is simple anyway! In practice, we have been following them for 9 hours now, and every 0.1 knot of speed counts. It requires a great deal of patience. We push ahead striving to leave Jamaica in our wake.

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In between bouts of trimming the sails and helming, our watch decided it would be a good idea to learn Portuguese for Brazil. In the first evening lesson, we learned to count to six and order twenty beer and “beefee” (i.e. steak). That was enough for the first night.

The next night was an advanced Portuguese lesson where we learned how to ask questions such as “How are you?” and “What?”. We then realized we wouldn’t be able to understand the answers, and wondered if it was all worthwhile. We’ll persevere tomorrow evening just in case!

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A personal highlight on board Cape Breton Island is approaching – my 31st birthday! After celebrating my 30th on the first day of Clipper training last year, I am thrilled to be where I am today, sailing across the Atlantic ocean on a racing yacht. As I am slowly creeping up in years, I never really paid much attention to my birthday in recent years. Strangely enough, I find myself counting down the days, just like when I was ten years old! Friends and family have prepared cards and letters for the occasion, which have been patiently stowed in my bag since July – I can’t wait to open them!

Elisa's Journey - Everyday Highlights at Sea

Our course and sail plan has carried on in a similar fashion over the past 24 hours. With the winds only getting lighter, even more focus is required to keep our best speeds. As we push ahead, it’s the little details of life on board that distinguish one day from the next.

For example, last Saturday night, someone pointed out that we should be celebrating. Isn’t that the normal thing to do while on land? As a result, we are in the process of choosing a theme night for next Saturday – I’m interested to see what “party clothes” people have secretly hidden in their dry bags!

Speaking of days of the week, it really does get difficult to figure out what day we’re on. During a beautiful sunrise, someone mentioned that waking up to an open sea, rather than busy traffic on the way to work, is the best way to start a Monday. Nobody seems to get the “Mondays” on board Cape Breton Island.

The most basic activities, on automatic pilot when on land, take on a new meaning at sea. My first hair wash in a week, using a few buckets of salt water, felt like a luxury. It was much more enjoyable than the usual 6:30am shower each day.

The right-hand side of the stern has become known as the “Starboard Spa” – site of the foot wash and moisturizing activities, with an occasional hair wash or nail clipping. All done with the Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop.

Elisa's Journey - Approaching Canary Islands

We’ve reached an important tactical point in the race as we approach the Canary Islands. Just over 100 miles away, the crew has been working hard all afternoon to keep our speeds up. Winds have been getting lighter, so steadiness at the helm and patience are key.

A low pressure system coming in across the Atlantic will show changes in wind direction over the next 24 hours, so our approach to the Canaries must be carefully planned. Certain areas are likely to have very light winds, so we must choose the best course to keep our boat speed up. So far so good.

When making our plans, we consult our weather report which is updated every two days. It has predictive forecasting, but local wind effects within the Canary Island region will vary. Skippers from previous races have handed down advice, so we have a benefit of learning from their past experiences. One tip in particular has served us very well, but it must be kept under wraps at this time! Progress of the other Clippers also provides clues to help us with planning. The rest is up to us.

Sometimes we will see another competitor that has only covered half our distance, in the same time – we consider what might have slowed them down. Did the weather change in their location, or are they having sail troubles? If a boat is much faster than us, we look at our options – is there any way we can improve?

Our crew looks forward to each report on the boat positions to see if we’ve moved ahead, and what path the others are taking. Right now our distance to Rio isn’t as important as our position in relation to the approaching weather system. It’s all very exciting!

Elisa's Journey - Cape Breton Clipper Smudging Ceremony

Chief Terrence Paul and the Sons of Membertou were a welcome sight on our Cape Breton Clipper yesterday. They held a “smudging” ceremony for both the boat and crew to prepare us for the journey ahead. With the smell of sage in the air, our crew listened to Chief Paul as he described the significance of the event. He said it is most important to believe.

Each crew member was called individually to receive a blessing. I climbed down the companionway when my turn arrived. An eagle feather was used to guide the smoke towards me. With my hands, I brought the smoke over my face and head. Darryl, who conducted the ceremony, spoke of having a clear mind and good memories. The smudging is a cleansing process to clear us of any negative thoughts. Next the smoke is brought towards the heart. Darryl spoke of strength during the journey.

As I came on deck to join the other crew, the atmosphere was calm and contemplative. Each crew in turn received the blessing. After each person had their turn, Darryl brought the sage feather and smoke to our sails, which were on the pontoon, waiting to be brought aboard for the trip. The eagle feather sent the smoke from one end of the sails to the other – wishes were made for good winds and a fast passage.

The drummers started, and Raven danced beside them in beautiful traditional dress. I felt so privileged to have our fellow Cape Bretoners from Membertou supporting our race. The smudging ceremony held a special significance for me that is difficult to put into words – partly a pride in our people and home. The sense that we have so much support behind us is part of the feeling.

This smudging ceremony is something I will remember when extra strength is needed.
Tomorrow we set off for a passage to Rio de Janeiro, which will take at least three weeks.

The next blog will be written somewhere on the Atlantic Ocean!

Arriving at First Port of Call

The race reaches the first port of call - La Rochelle, France - with Cape Breton Island in 5th place. To read more, click here.

Elisa's Journey - Off to a good start!

Cape Breton Island Clipper is officially racing around the world! We’ve covered almost 700 miles since the race start, with several miles to go before completing the first of 14 races.

Race start was more than I expected. I couldn’t believe how many thousands of people came to see us off! People yelled good luck wishes as we went on stage, again with our Clipper song by Bobby Currie playing. Some crew were tempted to break into a step dance, after our lesson from Mabou’s Beaton sisters, but decided to wait until we were better practiced!

Many crew faced goodbyes to family members, making it an emotion charged day. Luckily, I said mine over a month ago. I felt ready to go racing.

As we made our way up the Humber River, I had the honour of taking the helm for the first few miles! We saw a few bright blue Cape Breton jackets on the shore as we raced in close competition with the other Clippers. We raced on and the boats spread out on their chosen courses. Our team broke into two watches.

I was relieved to be underway - building miles each hour, eventually enough to take us around the world. A huge journey, but my current approach is to take each moment at a time. Each manoeuvre on the boat requires full attention, and often full effort. Getting into several layers of gear, lifejacket, and harness takes about ten minutes. We stay up on deck for 4 hours at a time to keep the boat on course and moving as fast as possible.

The first couple days went very smoothly – the fantastic weather was part of it. After being on a normal sleep schedule, it is tiring to get up for watch at 2am, but it is part of our job. Even when tired, it’s important to put in a good effort – every mile counts in such a closely matched race.

The fleet spread apart quite a bit over the 700 miles, with only 1 boat in sight, behind us thankfully! Our placing is yet to be announced, but I am pleased with our first passage. Our crew were great, and worked together well. A good starting point to build on and improve as a team!

My personal highlight of the first race was overtaking one of our competitors at a very quick pace just after our start. The race provided lots of chances to work on my helming and sail trim- two of my favourite jobs. As for low points, I can’t think of anything major – I had a great time! Perhaps getting the foot of my sleeping bag wet, but that’s not too much to worry about!

We’ll anchor this evening, and go into LaRochelle lock late tonight. I hear there’s a bakery open at 3am selling pain au chocolat!

The Clipper Round the World Race 09-10 is underway!

The 09-10 Clipper Round the World Race is underway and Cape Breton Island is currently in 4th place! To read more, click here.

Stepdancing Lessons for the Cape Breton Crew

The Cape Breton Clipper Crew gets lessons in stepdancing from Cape Breton's own Dawn and Margie Beaton! Read about it and see the photo by clicking here.

A Clip with Skipper Jan Ridd

Elisa's Journey - Final Stretch to the Clipper Race Start!

Several hundred people lined the waterfront of Gosport as the Clipper fleet departed the Royal Clarence Marina.  After months of preparing crew and boats, it was finally time to sail up to the race start in Hull.

Our delivery crew of eleven on Cape Breton Island got ready to slip lines. As the Mayor of Gosport passed up the last one, Bobby Currie’s “Clipper Song” played over the speakers. With crew and spectators clapping their hands, I was proud to hear the familiar tune broadcast to so many people. It is becoming well known among the crew – Jan often plays it to drum up some team spirit!

After many trips in and out of Gosport, it was a strange feeing to set out for the actual race. The year of prep time is almost completed, and the journey about to begin. I wonder which part will prove more challenging some days. I’ve settled out of my “land life” routine and my focus has shifted to sailing. Partly I am impatient to go racing, but have been enjoying the festivities leading up to the big day.

Mentally, I feel I am as prepared as I can possibly be going into the experience. You have to be ready to handle any situation, so I did not set specific expectations. I will take each day and situation as it comes, trusting my abilities and experience will carry me through. Physically, I hope my stamina and strength will improve as the race carries on. The first week returning to the boat was challenging, but already I have more energy and strength.

The past week has been a good test. The first part of the delivery took place in favourable wind, at some times no wind! It was a nice break from the busy activities leading up to departure. We stayed in Brighton until a storm blew past, and set out for a two-day trip to the Humber River.

What started as a fantastic downwind sail developed into a Force 10 gale! The wind changed direction, so eventually we had to sail right into the wind and waves.  Most crew were seeing these conditions for the first time. The short, choppy seas made for a rough, cold passage for over 16 hours. I’ve sailed in several storms, but found this one especially rough.

On the ocean, waves are further apart, making it easier to steer the boat on a comfortable angle. This was not possible on the English Channel. The waves were spaced closer together, and the direction varied depending on the tide. It made for a rough ride! All crew were wet and cold, but impressively kept good morale. 

It proved a challenge to keep food in my stomach while off duty below decks. Beating into waves doesn’t have the best effect on digestion. As a person who does not normally get seasick, I have to say this passage got the better of me for a few hours. It was disheartening, but thankfully the recovery period was quick.

On an exciting note, my fastest speed while helming was 15.9 knots!

The Clipper Race committee were ready to help tie up when we arrived in Grimsby at 4:30am. The Humber region welcomed us with a dinner and reception that evening for crew and supporters. My favourite part of our stay here was a delicious dessert and tea made by the ladies at the Cruising Association – best home cooking since Mom’s when I left home in July!

A multi-faith service with a seafaring theme provided some inspiration to keep determination during the challenges ahead. It was an appropriate lead-in to our journey, and nice to hear support and well wishes for safe passages.

This evening is our final stretch to Hull, home of the Clipper Race start and finish. Only a few days to go!

Elisa's Journey - Part C Training on Cape Breton Clipper!

After all the prep courses, I finally got out for a sail on our Cape Breton Island Clipper! It’s been an exciting week – meeting our skipper Jan and CB race crew, and re-familiarizing myself with the Clipper 68’s. Part C presented us with lots of windy weather and a chance to race against the other Clipper yachts.

The first couple days out were practicing our reefing, headsail changes, and spinnaker work – all in preparation for a two day offshore race against the rest of the fleet. It was great to see some crew members I met in October, and meet the others for the first time. Included on board were two Capers, myself and Dan McCarthy, Allyson Murray from Halifax, and RTW crew Shannon Gallins from Victoria.

Our offshore race was the first of many challenges ahead. We started out in light airs, to the point of stopping at times, and watched as conditions gradually built to a Force 7 (over 30 knots)!

We headed towards France and got the watch system underway – 4 hours on watch, and 4 hours to sleep/eat/prepare to come back on deck. One of our night time watches found us on deck, trying to fold our biggest sail and send it below. I’m not sure how much it weighs, but it takes several people to move it around.  The winds were building. We had to change to smaller sails, which give the boat better control.

The amount of exertion required on a Clipper 68 is more than any boat I’ve ever sailed, even with so many crew members to help out. Following my watch, I climbed into my top bunk, ate an orange while in my sleeping bag, and fell right to sleep. I did not even hear the next watch heaving sails out of the hatch – right beside me!

Up again for my next watch on deck – I am surprised at my lack of energy! Knowing I should have eaten more after my last watch, but was too tired to do so, fatigue had set in. Trying to eat was now difficult with the conditions, so I stuck to water and took a position on the helm – concentration took over! We headed upwind in about 30 knots – it was exhilarating to steer up and down the waves, trying to keep a smooth course for the crew who were seasick. Keep in mind, we haven’t left the channel yet!!

Watch over again, my mission was to get some food in my stomach! I was annoyed with myself for not keeping on top of my food intake. In the past, I found a bit of food and water every two hours would fend off any seasickness or fatigue, so I vowed to get back into my routine. I usually keep a stock of granola bars and water in my bunk – the more accessible the better when it’s rough.

I was craving a banana, and there was one left! Picture your kitchen on a 45 degree angle, and the banana you want to reach is in the top cupboard – on the uphill side!! That was the situation in our saloon. A seasick crew sat on the downhill side, head against the wall, asleep, and grasping a bucket.

Timing it with the waves, I made an attempt to climb up for the banana. Getting within arms reach, I was sent downhill and landed next to my fellow crew. He didn’t wake up. After four more tries, I got the banana! I wanted to share my excitement, and the banana, but he still didn’t wake up. Exhausted from my efforts, I laid down on the bench and took a couple bites. Several minutes later, I realized I had fallen asleep, holding the half eaten banana! The comedy of the situation gave me some energy. I fed the rest to the crew member who missed the whole thing while sleeping!

A bit of sleep, and bearing away to a more comfortable point of sail, saw most of our crew coming alive again – we reached our anchorage after two days at sea and had a midnight feed of eggs on toast!
Helicopter Photo Shoot on Aug 21, 2009

Among the exciting moments of the week was gathering our fleet of Clipper 68’s together for a helicopter photo shoot – it was windy, about 25 knots, and we carried a full main for a dramatic photo opportunity. Our CB Clipper was in the front row with the beautiful eagle design.

Dan McCarthy took the helm as the fleet got into formation – we sailed as a group with a few boat-lengths in between us! As the chopper came around to photograph us individually, we powered up and heeled over to give a good view of the hull design. Our crew sat along the high side rail with boots hanging over the side – I certainly felt proud to be part of this exciting day!

To see the entire fleet together was surreal, and I still can’t believe some days this is actually happening!

Racing Continues!

We continued on another race and battled to catch up with Cork Clipper into the evening – it was a great spinnaker run, especially trimming sails in the dark! Everyone seemed to have recovered from the last race, and was motivated to pull ahead in the race. By our 1am arrival back in Gosport, we passed Cork by an unmentionable distance, and felt satisfied our work had paid off. However, it seems a friendly rivalry has started between Cape Breton and Cork Clippers!

Last Day of Part C

We were rewarded with beautiful sailing for our final day of Part C training. Following some safety drills, a match race with Cork was organized. With crew in position, we had a “Le Mans start” – lining up next to each other, and raising our sails at the same time. We tacked back and forth many times, trimming sails with each move. After a period of close competition, it was clear Cape Breton had gained the lead. It was satisfying to work together as a team and perform well over the week!

The following week is spent in port preparing Cape Breton Clipper for the delivery to Hull – starting point of the Clipper 09-10 Race on Sept 13, 2009!